PFU ARTISTS

HYPHA hypha was brought to life by tj milian and benedict riede. the duo embarked on their first recording sessions as hypha in 1996. the results spawned a collection of other-worldly dark soundscapes. mind massage explored the psyche of the insane. from the ramblings of a schizophrenic man with the heaviest of indian accents on top of swirling violins to a mental ward patient’s desperate plea for help to robots reading john milton. it is the perfect soundtrack for one wishing to lose his or her mind. the latest offering from hypha is going upstairs. a truly deranged concept album, going upstairs follows tj and ben through the darkened staircases of twisted imagination. real-world sound samples include a variety of footsteps climbing stairs, animals at the zoo and paranoid elevator conversations. found sound and synths collide with unexpected results. “storm in the brain” is composed largely of the sound of television sets being thrown and destroyed fed though time-expansion effects in the computer. going upstairs is a painful listening experience. for those who find the beauty in pain, this album is a must.

THIMBLE CORNER SCHOOLHOUSE

milian and riede followed up their mind massage debut with birthday party recorded under the thimblecorner schoolhouse moniker. this journey into the land of childhood dreams takes the listener back to the birthday parties of yesteryear. it’s just like being back at chuck e. cheese. a sick delight. NEWS